Delay to Guernsey disability discrimination law

When the strategy was first approved hundreds of campaigners stood outside the States building

The introduction of a disability discrimination law in Guernsey has been delayed, according to the policy council.

The law, which is part of the States' disability strategy, was originally due for debate in December this year but has been delayed until next autumn.

The strategy was adopted in 2013 and given funding.

Shelaine Green, from the Guernsey Disability Alliance, said the delay was disappointing.

The Policy Council had planned to bring the legislation for debate during this parliament, but the 2016 election made it impossible to do so.

In a report, the council said: "It is necessary to sound a note of caution, as a key reason for the inability to bring forward proposals this political term as planned has been a lack of suitable resources.

"In the ongoing absence of such resources, it is difficult to be definitive about time scales for delivery."

Ms Green said there had been a number of delays to the whole strategy, mainly down to there not being the staff available to do the job.

She said: "There was adequate budget available but that hasn't been spent. It isn't a lack of money but a lack of people to do the projects and spend the money."

A report on delays surrounding the strategy found it had been "hampered, and will continue to be hampered, by a lack of dedicated resources".

Out of an original £250,000 budget in 2013, about £180,000 is still unspent.